(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake pedal unit for a saddle riding type vehicle such as a four-wheel drive vehicle for rough terrain, etc.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Of four-wheel drive vehicles, there is an off-road saddle riding type vehicle, on which a rider straddles the seat mounted on the top of the frame with their feet on the footboards arranged on both sides in the lower portion of the frame and controls the vehicle by gripping the handlebars.
A vehicle of this kind had the pedal part of the brake pedal arranged in the front part of the right footboard, projecting upwards from the footboard. As the rider presses down the brake pedal by the right foot, the vehicle can be slowed or stopped.
Since off-road saddle riding type vehicles travel in rugged terrain, various kinds of foreign bodies such as mud, stones, wood branches, snow, etc. are liable to accumulate on the footboard. In a snow and cold prone area, the accumulated snow may freeze. Therefore, it is necessary for the vehicles of this kind to avoid control deficiency due to the holding of such foreign bodies between the pedal part and the footboard when the rider depresses the brake pedal. Further, since the vehicle is used in rugged terrain, it swings and sways greatly so that the rider""s foot may be displaced on the footboard.
For countermeasures against the above difficulties, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 10 No. 81280 (prior art 1) discloses a configuration in which a depressed area is formed below and around the pedal part of the brake pedal in the footboard so as to provide a large brake pedal travel. Alternatively, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 11 No. 11371 (prior art 2) discloses a configuration in which a partitioning guard projected downwards is arranged in the area near the outer periphery of the underside of the pedal part of the brake pedal.
However, with the saddle riding type vehicle of the above prior art 1, foreign bodies such as mud or stones etc., are liable to collect into the depressed surface below and around the pedal part of the brake pedal in the footboard. Further, once frozen snow builds up, this configuration makes the pressing down of the brake pedal inconvenient. Further, when the foot is liable to slip out of position due to mud, the foot tends to be displaced into the space below the pedal part, causing difficulties in riding.
With the prior art 2, it is more difficult to place the foot because the pedal area is guarded compared to the prior art 1. Further, raised and depressed portions for reinforcement are formed around the window hole that allows the pedal part of the brake pedal to move therethrough, therefore stones are liable to collect into the depressed portions. Since the pedal part of the brake pedal radially protrudes laterally from its arm, the pedal part is liable to hold foreign bodies between the footboard and itself. Moreover, if the partitioning guard arranged below the pedal part of the brake pedal is deformed, it might affect the control of the brake pedal.
In view of what has been described above, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a brake pedal unit for a saddle riding type vehicle which is free from the drawbacks of the space below the brake pedal clogging with foreign bodies and the problem of the rider""s foot slipping into the space below the brake pedal.
In order to achieve the-above object, the present invention is configured as follows.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, a brake pedal unit for a saddle riding type vehicle having a plate-like footboard is characterized in that a brake pedal extending from the rear side to the front side of the vehicle comprises: a window hole formed in the footboard; a brake arm axially supported at a rotation center thereof below the footboard by the vehicle so as to move up and down and having a distal part extending forward and curved upward; and a pedal part fixed to the distal end of the brake arm, wherein the distal part of the brake arm with the pedal fixed is projected upward through the window hole so as to allow the pedal part to be stepped on and pressed downwards, wherein the section of the distal end of the brake arm is formed smaller in size than the pedal part; and the section of the portion of the brake arm projected above from the window hole of the footboard has a shape similar to the pedal part.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, the brake pedal unit for a saddle riding-type vehicle having the above first feature is characterized in that the distal part of the brake arm having a similar section to the pedal part is formed tapering from the pedal part downward.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, the brake pedal unit for a saddle riding type vehicle having the above first feature is characterized in that the distal part of the brake arm having a similar section to the pedal part is formed of a main arm body and a separately formed plate part attached to the main arm body.
In the present invention, the arm portion of the brake pedal projected above the footboard has a section similar to, and is equal to or smaller in size compared to, the pedal part fixed to the distal end thereof. Therefore, there is no possibility of a foreign body being held between the ndersurface of the pedal part and the footboard. It is also possible to prevent the foot from slipping into the space below the pedal part, thus making it possible to prevent deficiency in the control of the brake pedal.
Further, since the portion of the brake arm tapering from the joint to the pedal part is expansion formed or formed by joining a plate member to the main arm body, there is no concern that the portion might deform like the partitioning guard that is attached to the conventional brake pedal.